The Semi-Breaking Point

 You know how I was saying that I have been stressed out about things, and that I have a list of stuff that needs to be fixed or repaired?  Well, yesterday I had a couple of more!  While driving to the gym, the car alarm went off on the dash -- I now have a tire pressure sensor fault warning.  Oi.  To be sure, I know plenty of people who never get these things fixed, but I should probably get around to doing it.  As my father liked to say (and I do too), whatever it is, it sounds expensive.

We have a family fest this weekend, and that means seven-layer-jello, so last night was devoted to that purpose.  I am not sure what happened -- I think the milk layer didn't fully settle with the heat -- but when I put the second jello layer on, it literally smashed the milk layer, creating an unsightly mess.  Oi!  I decided that the solution was to let the milk layer sit longer AND to apply more of it, and the rest of the way... it looks beautiful (though I will need to put some ice bags around it for the drive).  That was a relief, at least.  So I am not a complete fuck up, but...

Was the Parish Made for Man—or Man for the Parish? - Crisis Magazine
My college roommate sent me this, and I told him that technically, I was in violation of this -- I didn't like the suburban parishes in my neck of the wood and decided to go to St. Stan's, our ancestral family parish, which is a lot nicer than the suburban monstrosities.  I think the USCCB carved out an exception for "ethnic" parishes -- bowing to the necessities of white flight -- so I am technically ok, but...  I think the reason why they have this requirement so that people do not go around and shop for parishes.  But...isn't that what you want?  Priests will have to raise their games (if you will) to keep people in the pews, and isn't that what we want?  

Can Pope Leo afford to wait on ‘Traditionis custodes’?
I honestly don't know what he is going to do here.  I can see continuing with the tradition of Francis (sigh) but there is something to be said for NOT stopping the practice that is actually getting people in pews.  As an American, Leo XIV should know this, right?  It is not an easy choice -- the new guy doesn't want to annoy the traditionalists or the radicals -- and I am curious to see how it plays out.